


Family Ties.

by Jeneral2885



Category: JAG, NCIS: New Orleans
Genre: F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-03-05 00:29:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3098237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jeneral2885/pseuds/Jeneral2885
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The NCIS: New Orleans Team investigates the attack on a US Marine legal assistant. Meanwhile, Brody's most hated cousin drops by. Hint: Hello to an old JAG face.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_This story uses JAG character Pia Bonfilio from JAG Season 10, Episode 8, “There Goes the Neighborhood”. It’s not the best JAG episode really and in fact is one of the worst from JAG Season 10. Still, in order to bring in Coates as someone related to Brody, I thought that she would be a nice nemesis, especially since the Pia storyline wasn’t concluded._

_Despite the appearance and mention of a JAG character/JAG characters, I do not classify this as a NCIS: New Orleans/Jag cross over. Firstly, the main focus is on the NCIS: New Orleans characters. Second, I want to keep this on the NCIS: New Orleans main FF page._

 

**NCIS New Orleans Field Office**

**0905 hours local**

 

“Well Good Morning Brody,” Special Agent Christopher LaSalle greeted his colleague. “You’re very early.”

 

“Oh I don’t need sarcasm to start my workday, LaSalle,” Special Agent Meredith ‘Merri’ Brody replied. “This is not a school. You don’t need to tell me that I’m late.”

 

“I didn’t say ‘you’re late’ but you always arrive earlier than I do, until today,” Chris LaSalle noted. Brody just dumped her bag on her desk, nearly knocking over one of the lego sculptures that LaSalle helped her construct.

 

“And you aren’t in your usual mood either,” he continued.

 

Brody sighed and said, “Two words: My cousin.”

 

“What about your cousin?”

 

“She’s here in New Orleans visiting and asked to stay with me for a week,” Brody replied with an annoyed tone.

 

“And???”

 

“And I hate her. Always hated her.”

 

“Care to elaborate?”

 

“I don’t care. You know me: I prefer to keep my private and professional lives separate.”

 

LaSalle was about to continue questioning when Senior Special Agent Dwayne Pride entered the office heading directly to his cabinet. “Gear up, you two. Marine assaulted outside NAS JRB New Orleans. Doc Wade and Sebastian are already at the scene.” With that Pride and LaSalle grabbed their Sig Sauers, Brody her Glock 26 as well as other necessary equipment and headed out.

 

**Outside Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans (NAS JRB New Orleans)**

**0930 local**

 

“Good morning Loretta, what brings us here?” Pride asked his long term friend, Doctor Loretta Wade of the Jefferson County Parish.

 

“Hello Dwayne, one badly assaulted Marine, face half smashed, mouth bleeding heavily, lacerations all over,” Doc Wade replied. “NOPD found him just outside the base and not even the MPs patrolling heard him. No ID but in Service B uniform.” They both watched as the EMTs lifted the body up onto the bedded stretcher and wheeled it towards the ambulance.

 

“And he’s…Corporal Wayne Wright, assigned to the Region Legal Service Office Southeast,” Brody confirmed, using the Automated Fingerprint identification (AFIS) device against his not damaged hand.

 

“The question is: Who would want to strike a Marine dealing with legal cases?” Sebastian Lund, Jefferson County Parish’s forensic scientist asked, mimicking Alex Trebek.

 

“This isn’t Jeopardy, Sebastian,” Pride shook his head. “Though, yes, that would be the question.”

 

:LaSalle meanwhile was interviewing the first NOPD officer who found Wright’s body. “And he didn’t say anything at all?”

 

“Just a gurgling word. Something starting with P or D. Most likely P.”

 

Brody and LaSalle continued search the surrounding area for evidence. Just as Pride was about to officially enter the base to set a meeting with the Navy/Marine JAGs, one of the EMTs called out, “Hey! He’s talking!”

 

The NCIS trio dashed over Marine. “Hey,” Pride greeted. “It’s ok, you’re going to be alright. Wha…” They all leaned forward to heard an extremely soft mumble before the severely injured E-4 closed his damaged eyes.

 

“Did you catch that?” Pride asked his two agents.

 

“Sounded like Pa, as the NOPD officer said. Probably calling for his father,” LaSalle commented.

 

“Definitely a P word. But not just two letters,” Brody said, automatically capturing the muted voice in her head.

 

“Can you solve it like solving your cross puzzles?” LaSalle asked.

 

She gave him a ‘What the Hell’ look and replied, “Yes, but this ain’t no ordinary cross wor…”

 

“Brody?” Pride queried. “Why the…” but before he could form a question, she had dashed over to the police line and nearly snapped the tape.  Both Pride and LaSalle could heard her saying, “Jennifer Coates, what on earth are you doing here?”

 

To Be Continued…

 


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for the reviews. Looks like I let the cat out of the bag by mentioning Pia in the first chapter. Oh well…_

_Brody may be a little (but not too much) out-of-character in this FF._

 

**Outside Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans (NAS JRB New Orleans)**

**0940 local**

 

“What do you think you’re doing here?” bellowed Merri Brody.

 

“Uh, is that Wayne…”

 

“Go away, Jennifer! I’ve got work to do!” Brody shouted and spun 180 degrees around to return to her teammates. Her cousin tried to follow but was stopped the police tape and a NOPD officer.

 

“What was that about?” Asked Chris LaSalle.

 

“Nothing.” Brody said, though her face still showed signs of annoyance and anger.

 

“Nothing? You sure?”

 

“Are those the friends of Wright?” Brody changed the subject and pointed at two more Marines who were next to Pride. They introduced themselves as Lance Corporal Jonny Franks and Corporal Troy Gomez.

 

“Yeah, I knew Wayne very well. Served in boot camp together and we just transferred over here in New Orleans. Wayne is…was a great guy though he’s a loner. No girlfriend, not much of a social life and he won’t really say much about his background. If I remember correctly, he’s a only child from a rough neighborhood.”

 

“Corporal Wright was dedicated to his work,” Franks told them. “But lately, during break time, he would stare off for a while as if remembering someone or thinking deeply about something. I asked him what was wrong but he…”

 

“Excuse me,” Loretta interrupted. “Dwayne, if you don’t mind, I want to accompany him to hospital. Will update you his condition. Sebastian is gathering evidence and will inform you as usual from the morgue.”

 

“Alright,” Pride turned towards his two agents. “I’ll stay around to question his CO and other colleagues. Patton texted and should be back in the office by now. Run background checks, family, friends, financial the works on this guy.”

 

**NCIS New Orleans Office**

**Twenty Minutes Later**

 

“Man, this is way too early to start work,” Patton whined. “I was just having a good dream when you guys called.”

 

“Dream about girls or dream about hacking the next firewall?” LaSalle teased.

 

Patton Plame stuck his tongue then continued, “well your Corporal Wright is a loner. Single son, mother and father separated and deceased. He has lived with uncles, or well distant uncles and aunts and then entered the USMC. Bank account details,” Patton pulled out another slide, “not much. I mean, there was crediting and then withdrawal of $50,000 in October 2001 but otherwise normal for this sort of individual.”

 

“Is that it?” Brody questioned.

 

“Yes…”

 

“Hey, you’ve been able to search much deeper than this before, Hac...I mean Investigative Computer Specialist Plame,” LaSalle said. “Maybe you ought to go back to bed and start over once fresh.”

 

“Hey, I may be able to crack the best codes but I’m telling you this is it,” Patton argued. “I’ve dug as deep as I can; this is it.

 

**Jefferson Parish Morgue & Forensic Office**

**Around the same time**

 

Dwayne Pride burst into the Forensic Office and nearly tripped over Sebastian Lund, who was sitting on the floor cross-legged on the floor. “Sebastian,” he called but the forensics expert just sat there, eyes closed and hands outstretched.

 

“ Sebastian...” Pride called his name but he sit maintained his position.

 

“Sebastian!” Pride raised his voice a little higher and then Sebastian Lund suddenly lay flat on the ground. “Huh...oh, sorry,” he mumbled. “Meditation regime. Trying to receive openings and answers by sitting next to a door.”

 

“Okay,” Pride said, still just tolerant of Sebastian’s antics, “what do you have for answers?”

 

“Clues first, then answers later,” Sebastian said. “Okay, Wright was in civilian clothes with USMC undershirt,” Sebastian said. “Interestingly enough, he’s a huge fan of the same deodorant my classmate and competitor but that’s not critical. What is really is the most minute hint of this,” Sebastian held a small piece of cloth in front of Pride’s face.

 

“Yikes, what’s that?”

 

“It is actually perfume. Some lady’s perfume isn’t that sweet smelling; I mean I had this girl once at high school with perfume that could almost be from farm animals or...”

 

“Ok, so we know the possible attacker is a woman.”

 

“Well said but it’s the brand that I’m trying to figure out. Then maybe you can get a clearer picture on your assailant.”

 

“Thanks, Sebastian,” Pride acknowledged and just as he left, the meditation guru slipped into his position once again.

 

**NCIS New Orleans Office**

**Twenty Minutes Later**

 

“So you owe me five bucks,” Patton say, opening his right hand and wheeling himself over to LaSalle. “See, you can’t find anything on this guy.”

 

“Later Patton; there is a mystery with him,” LaSalle said.

 

“No Marine Corporal can simply have...” Brody started before hearing a commotion outside. The two agents saw a NOPD officer holding back a girl around Brody’s height. “Hey, Meredith, tell this officer to let me go!”

 

“Jennifer?!” Brody exclaimed. “What the hell are you doing here? I told you to stay away. Go to the French Quarter or something. I’m busy.”

 

“Meredith, I’m here to help you!!!” But Brody had spun around once more and moved back into the office.

 

“Officer let her off,” LaSalle ordered, more because he was fascinated by this new beauty and fascinated by the recent conversation. “How do you know...” but before he could complete his sentence, the girl had lost her balance and fell, her cell phone falling and reaching LaSalle’s feet. The Alabama native picked it up and stared at a picture of the recently attacked Marine.

 

To Be Continued.


	3. Chapter 3

_Thanks again for the reviews. It’s nice to combine JAG and NCIS: New Orleans despite the difference in age._

 

**NCIS New Orleans Headquarters**

**Around 1020 local**

 

“Hey, hey,” LaSalle said, bending over to help the long-haired brunette up. “Be careful but you do have something there. How do you happen to have a picture of our injured Marine?”

 

“LaSalle…” Brody began.

 

“I’m…Jennifer Coates,” the lady began as she brushed off the dirt on her clothes. “And Wayne used to be a close friend of mine, almost like a brother…”

 

“Brother? Don’t me it’s another one of your gang associates,” Brody interrupted with an accusative tone. “Is that why you asked to come down here in the first place?”

 

“Would you please let me…”

 

Brody advanced towards Coates. “You have some nerve! So you’re connected to the victim? Or did you attack him? I ought to lock you up now!”

 

“Ooh, cat fight,” Patton mumbled, steering himself forward, but that certainly didn’t ease the tension between the two ladies. Just as LaSalle moved to tried to calm things down, Pride re-entered the office.

 

“Ok lad…ladies and gents, what is going around here?” he asked. “Let’s start from the beginning with introductions shall we?”

 

“As I was trying to said, I’m Jennifer Coates. Formerly a US Navy Legalman First Class…”

 

“I thought you were and Electronic Technician,” Brody interrupted again.

 

“Will you please let me finish? Yes I was, but I transferred over to the JAG corps sometime in 2002. Before my Navy time, I was a delinquent, more specifically a shoplifter and I was mixed up with a few gangs. One of them back in California was called the Poachers, and your victim, Wayne, had many family members for generations in this gang, so he was recruited in it. Wayne across the years sound resented the lifestyle and tried to get out of the Poaches unsuccessfully. Finally, around 2008 or so, he got a break and joined Marines.”

 

“Doesn’t tell us anything about him or why he was attacked,” Pride said.

 

“I’m getting to it. Where can I insert this SD card?”

 

“Over here Mademoiselle,” Patton replied, shifting his wheelchair-cum-tablet. “Patton Plame, Investigative Computer Specialist,” he shook her hands, but it was all to obvious he was attracted to her.

 

“This may, or I guess should be the person you’re looking for,” Coates announced and they all stared at a blonde-haired girl. “Pia Bonfilio, one of the key leaders of the Poachers. She’s the one who tried to stop Wayne from breaking away from the gang. Pia everything: a thief, a shoplifter, even a murderer. Once, I was stupid enough to let her stay in my place in DC. She not only impersonated me by stealing my Navy uniforms but also got mixed up with one of my ex-boyfriends Vince Dolan and subsequently murdered him. She then tried to frame me for the murder.”

 

“Ok, that’s a good story but it doesn’t prove that this Pia is behind this,” Brody commented, still not believe her cousin. “How do we know this isn’t all made up?”

 

“I tell you it is Pia,” Coates argued. “The style of the attack is indicative of her methods. Wayne’s a great guy. He’s done much to change his life around. It’s Pia who hates such changes and who wants to stop them.”

 

“We couldn’t find much about Corporal Wright despite’s Patton’s strong hack..I mean computing skills. Is that a trait of Pia’s?” LaSalle asked.

 

“That I’m not sure about but she’s always resourceful in finding people to help her out,” Coates suggested.

 

“That still doesn’t prove much,” Brody remained sceptical.

 

“Wright did say some name that started with ‘P’ this morning,” Pride added. “Ok, let’s work on the assumption that this Pia is the assailant. Chris, Patton, I want you guys to continue to dig deeper. Phone, email, social media everything he has and his gang history. Brody, I want you to take Miss...”

 

“Jennifer Coates. I’m Meredith’s cousin.”

 

“I want you to take her to Meredith and bring her to Sebastian. He has a software that can accurately surmise how people may disguise themselves. I’m sure this Pia would given this attack this morning.”

 

“Uh, Pride, I rather stay here and work with Patton,” Brody began, moving away from her cousin.

 

“Huh? Ok, LaSalle, take Miss Coates down. I’ll head over to the hospital and see how the boy and Loretta are doing. Let’s get cracking people.”

 

To Be Continued.

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks for all the reviews so far. Let’s bring back Coates more and plunge her deep in the NCIS: New Orleans world._

_The device Indentograph is fictional but is just a twist on the device used by Q in James Bond’s “For your Eyes Only”_

**NCIS New Orleans HQ**

**1100 hours local**

 

“Wow Whee,” Investigative Computer Specialist Patton Plame said as the new girl and LaSalle walked away.

 

“Patton,” Brody started.

 

“Patton,” she repeated herself then shook his wheelchair.

 

“Oh, oh, sorry,” he muttered then exclaimed, “Man, where did she get that beauty from?”

 

“Patton Plame!” Brody raised her voice. “Get your mind back to work!”

 

“Ok, ok,” he held up his hands. “Let’ see what we can get on this Bonfilio girl,” he said typing furious on his tablet. “Ah!”

 

“Bonfillo, Pia, age 41, mother and father divorced and deceased,” Brody read out loud. “Mother killed in a in a hit and run accident, father died a few years later. Never made it past eleventh grade, especially nearly burning down the science lab and swearing at teachers. Joined street gangs, and yes became leader of Los Angeles’ Poachers.

 

“ Wanted for lots of shoplifting, extortion, attempted kidnapping from West Coast to East Coast,” Patton continued. “And yup, suspected murder of ex-boyfriend Vince Nolan. Says the case is under the DC Police, Detectives,” Patton squinted, “Detective Danville Morris and Detective Myra Jimenez. Funny names.”

 

“Hmmph, we have to contact them for the case file,” Brody commented and mentally noted. “Anything else? Modus Operandi?”

 

“Says she’s a master of disguise,” Patton pointed at the last line. “Guess your cousin is right.

 

**On the way to the Jefferson Parish Morgue and lab**

**Around the same time**

 

“So you enjoying the life down here so far?” LaSalle asked the brunette next to him.

 

“It’s pretty nice but I haven’t been through all the famous parts,” Coates replied.

 

“I can give you a tour of the city once this is over. Even show you some fantastic spots which you can’t read about.” Or rather just spend more time with you. You’re damn pretty, LaSalle thought.

 

“Thanks, it depends if I can find a new hotel or guest house here.”

 

“Brody certainly doesn’t like you.”

 

“Brod...Meredith and I have our differences. But she doesn’t know, or care to know that I’ve changed a huge lot since my old days.”

 

“Oh...here’s the forensic lab,” LaSalle said holding open the door for her.

 

“Sebastian? Sebastian?” LaSalle called out and suddenly the forensic scientist crawled out under the nearby bench.

 

“What of earth were you doing under there?”

 

“Connecting to the ground. My latest reading tells me the more I head closer the earth’s core, the close I can be with the whole of nature.”

 

“But there’s tons of concrete and man made structures between you and the firt layer of earth.”

 

“My lab’s floor isn’t that thick...well hello!” he spotted Coates. “Did you just spring up from those advertisements?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Those adverts about trying to keep young. My girlfriend Melissa is trying to force me to buy her some of those products.”

 

“Sebastian this is Jennifer Coates. She has key information with regards to the Wright case and we need you to start up the Identograph.”

 

“Oh, hi, hi,” Sebastian replied, still a little transfixed by Coates’ beautiful. “Oh wow, is she your sister?” Sebastian exclaimed, looking at Pia’s picture.

 

“My enemy.” LaSalle and Coates explained the situation.

 

“Well, let’s see what my baby can deliver,” Sebastian said, downloading the soft copy of Pia’s picture and adjusting a couple of settings. “What would you said she looked like when you met her?”

“Well, she never had such long hair at first...yeah that might be her,” Coates nodded at a modified picture.

 

“Has she ever changed her hair colour?”

 

“Of course. She loves to dye her hair. Streaks or full colours of almost all shades. But she hates the colour black.”

 

“I guess that gives us a huge range of options,” Sebastian sai, typing away furiously and presently lots of pictures. “Ok, perhaps these few,” Coates said point at those with purple, green, and maroon red.

 

“Weight and size?”

 

“That would be tough. She has always maintained almost the same size and figure to con people, especially guys.”

 

“Ok we’ll leave that, clothing?”

 

“Jeans and skirts, but she’ll anything that she steals from stores.”

 

“Hey, Sebastian!” LaSalle called out, pointing at the modified picture of Pia in a lingerie set.

 

“She did say anything that the girl steals,” the lab geek protested. “Ok, still gives us quite a bit of pictures. Anything else? Body art?”

 

“Well,” Coates closed her eyes to think. “There was a tattoo with a quite a bit of intricate designs on her back, on the right. The most distinctive part was a ‘N’ in the middle.” Coates detailed as much as she could to Sebastian. “Then one, very briefly, when she wore a sleeveless shirt, I saw another tat with three small circles on her left upper arm. But the next day, it was gone so I assumed it was some temporary work.”

 

“Or some make up was placed over it,” Sebastian added.

 

**NCIS New Orleans HQ**

**Approaching noon**

 

“No, Detectives Morris and Jimenez and no longer with us,” the young detective identified as Harrison answered from the video conference. “They were in fact thrown out of the department over this Dolan- Bonfillo case because they denied Petty Officer Coates then the right to an attorney.”

 

“Hmmph. But what can you tell you tell us about the case?” Brody asked.

 

“It’s actually still open. After the Detectives left, another pair, Matthias and Dennison worked on the case with the ATF. Dolan was suspected to be murdered by Bonafillo only after Petty Officer Coates DNA didn’t match the knife that was used to kill Dolan.”

 

“Wait, let’s go back to the beginning why Coates suspected?”

 

“Let’s see, ok it says here that Bonfiallo was staying over at Coates’ residence in DC for a while. Apparently, they knew each other and she let her in on good faith. Bonafillao, according to Coates’ testimony then, wasn’t the person she was and  stole Coates’ Nay uniform and hairclip, framing her and thus making her the suspect in the first place. The rest of the notes says that Dolan was murdered in a bar in McGinty's Lounge, Anacostia area by a knife that matched Coates’ cooking set, but again taken by Bonafillo.”

 

“And afterwards?”

 

“The cased was followed up by the new detectives but somehow it was left open. Sorry Agent Brody, I guess that was a mix up we made.”

 

“Well it might be a big mix up. We’ll need a copy of the case files and everything related.”

 

“We only have a hard copy, but you’ll get the initial summaries via fax.”

 

“Man, is that department living in the caveman days? That case was in 2004, surely they would have computers back then! You see why I whine about this?” Patton complained.

 

“You’re lucky they have a fax machine,” Brody said, hearing the churning of the NCIS machine. “Resident North of Union Station. Man how did Jennifer afford to live there?”

 

“Well, you can see here she wasn’t the person paying rent. It was a then Commander Harmon Rabb.”

 

**Jefferson Parish Hospital**

**The same time**

“I’m looking for the room for Wayne Wright, Dr. Loretta Wade is supposed to be...hey Loretta,” Pride noted the Medical Examiner heading out of a side corridor.

 

“Dwayne, we’ve got really bad news. Wright just lost his heartbeat at five minutes ago.”

 

“Great, now the case is attempted murder.”

 

To Be Continued.

PS: Shorter than before, yeah I know.


	5. Chapter 5

_Thanks for the reviews. In this story, there isn’t really Savannah_

 

**NCIS New Orleans HQ**

**Past noon**

 

“Rabb, Rabb, I remember that name from somewhere,” Patton called out loud.

 

“Yeah, wasn’t he Assistant JAG for Operations for a year or so a few years back?” Brody wondered.

 

“Checking it now,” and the screen showed the person’s details. “Rabb, Harmon, Junior,” Patton read out, “Graduate, US Naval Academy 1985, F-14A aviator, USS Seahawk until 1993/4. Graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, transferred to the JAG corps. Served as a trial lawyer and investigator until May 1999 when he was authorised to transfer back to an aviator.”

 

“Wow, that’s amazing. Usually once your out of aviation, you can’t go back,” Brody commented.

 

“Well he didn’t stay long. Returned to the JAG Corps in the autumn of the same year and wow, got promoted to full Commander shortly afterwards. Presided over many high profile JAG cases, and wow, received a Silver Star for knocking out a missile with a dirty nuclear warhead...”

 

“Oh I heard the scuttlebutt about that,” Brody remarked. “So that who knocked the missile down.”

 

“Yeah, this guy is a pro-aviator and an attorney. But he’s not infalliable; he was arrested by NCIS MCRT on suspicion of murdering a junior JAG officer. He was released in the end as they found the actual murderer.”

 

“Oh yeah, now I remember Gibbs telling me about a JAG Commander he arrested. So he is Rabb. But it doesn’t explain how Jennifer ended up living with this Commander Rabb.”

 

“Well, look at this footnote. Petitioned for the custody of a young teenager, Matilda Grace Johnson. Johnson was living by herself and managing a private airfield called Grace Aviation—wow!—when Rabb met her. Her mother died in a care accident with her father involved and even though the father petitioned against Rabb’s claim, Rabb gained temporary custody. Johnson, the girl, moved into a flat next to Rabb, with rental paid by Rabb...”

 

“And look the address is the same place my cousin lives....”

 

**Streets of New Orleans**

**The same time.**

“Your tech Sebastian is super cool yet super weird,” Jennifer Coates commented as she and LaSalle walked back to the HQ.

 

“Sebastian is quirky. Me and King—Agent Pride---can stand his antics. Well, maybe me more than King. But Brody just wants him to cut it short.”

 

“Br...I wish Meredith understood me better. I’ve changed so much since we last met each other.”

 

“Family members can always harbour contempt with each other,” he commented. “I get on pretty well with my brother Cade, but we do fight once in a while. Same with my mom.”

 

“I don’t know how to start with Meredith. Her mother—my mother’s sister—actually never liked my mother and my father at all. It’s a long disagreement between both sides. I had to literally beg her to let me stay in her place here. So I’m not sure where to start.”

 

“A nice strong cup of New Orleans coffee, as well as a nice scenic location will help you to work it out. I don’t see why you two can’t settle things.”

 

“I...it’s a nice offer, Agent LaSalle.”

 

“Call me Chris,” He extended his hand again her and smiled. Oh my gosh, you are just so pretty, he thought. Same height, same size as Brody. But your hair, your long silky brown hair, there’s some so magical about it. “And, uh the offer still stands for a tour of the Big Easy once this is over.” Suddenly Jenn Coates was no longer beside him.

 

“Hey!” he cried, “Hey, Coates!” But all around were just the citizens of New Orleans. “Hey,” Chris asked a passerby. “Did you see a girl, about five, six blonde hair?” Negative reply. Frantic, Chris LaSalle ran through the side streets searching for Coates. It was only in small, foul odour alley way that he heard a moan coming from a pile of rubbish. Pulling away the trash, he found Coates, her hair full of trash.

 

“It...she...looked like Pia...” she mumbled.

 

**NCIS New Orleans HQ**

**10 minutes later**

 

“Just what did you were doing?” Brody pointed her finger at Coates, “You had no business running off by yourself and not informing LaSalle who is in charge! You could have been killed.”

 

“Meredith...” Coates began, still picking away the dirt from her hair.

 

“Agent Brody.”

“Fine, Agent Brody, sue me. I thought I saw someone who looked like Pia so I moved to follow her but she was moving too quickly. Apologies for not following NCIS rules. I’m not an agent, just a normal citizen visiting the city and helping out.”

 

Brody was about to counter when LaSalle stepped forward and then Pride returned to the office.

 

“Whoa, what’s going on here?” The Senior Special Agent asked.

 

“Just debating some rules, King,” LaSalle quickly added.

 

“Well, no more time to debate, our Marine Corporal just passed away,” Pride summarised what Doctor Wade told him. “Tighten up people. So what else do we know?”

 

“We just received the report on the murder of Vince Dolan,” Brody opened a super thick folder. “Killed by a cooking knife,” She tried not to laugh, “own by Jennifer Coates,” she looked at her cousin, “but definitely not with her DNA on it. The knife pattern wasn’t just any simple stab wound, it directly punctured his trachea, causing death with a few seconds.”

 

“I didn’t know that; the police never told me that,” Coates protested.

 

“Are we certain that this Vince was killed by Pia Bonfilio?” Pride asked.

 

“Well the report said Coates’ apartment was checked against the DNA, as well as the items found in a certain hotel room 24 in Saint Francis Hotel, yeah matching it to Pia. But Pride, all we is Coates’ claim and this file.”

 

“Anything else? Anything that may explain why Bonfilio would want to venture down here just to strike at Wright?”

 

“Her records say the same story Jennifer told us,” Patton added, “but at this point, the best guess is money.”

 

“The only guess,” LaSalle added when Pride’s phone rang.

 

“Yes, where? Notify Wade and Lund. We’re on.”

 

“Dead Navy Lieutenant, member of Navy Operational Support Center. Let’s roll people, it looks something connected to our case.”

 

To Be Continued.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks for all the reviews, do review more._

_My knowledge of the layout of Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, the NOSC and its surrounding area_

 

**En route to the Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC)**

**New Orleans**

**1345 local**

 

“You must live a very lucky life,” Brody commented to Coates as the three agents and former Legalman drove to the NOSC. LaSalle was at the wheel, Pride in front, with the two females at the back.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“From delinquent to Electronics Technician Third Class, then to Legalman, then kicked up to First Class and on top of that, living off the rent of a senior JAG officer.”

 

“It wasn’t exactly like that,” Coates replied.

 

“Oh, explain,” Brody said with a slight sarcastic tone.

 

“I never questioned my promotion, I just worked hard when turning over a new leaf. As for the living quarters I think you read it—then Commander Rabb took a teeanged girl as his ward, Matilda Grace Johnson, and she had to move into an apartment near him. I needed a proper place to stay in DC and Harm, uh, Commander Rabb offered to pay half the rent if I boarded with Mattie. I did for a while, then Mattie re-connected with her biological father and I still stayed on until Commander, later Captain Rabb was posted overseas.”

 

“I still call that born with a golden spoon in your mouth,” Brody remarked.

 

“It’s just about the same as hopping around NCIS field offices, running away from your past,” LaSalle commented then felt a kick to his seat. “Brody!!!”

 

“Settle down children; we’re all on the same side,” Pride remarked. Soon enough, they had reached the NOSC. Coates was just about exit when Pride held up his hand. “I know you’re with us on this case Coates, but I suggest that you stay in the vehicle or away from the barrier. It’s a NCIS crime scene.” The former Legalman First Class nodded, failing to see her cousin’s face look saying: Yeah, remember, you are a guest over here.

 

“Pride, under other circumstances, I would welcome you with open arms,” NOSC Commander Theodore Barnes said, shaking the Senior Special Agent’s hand.

 

“Teddie, the same. What do we have here?”

 

“Someone _killed_ my best junior logistics officer,” the Commander stressed on the word ‘killed’.

“Pride,” they heard the familiar voice of Dr. Loretta Wade and immediately spied her and Sebastian over a body in Navy service Khakis. “Exactly the same MO as the young Corporal: half smashed, mouth bleeding heavily, lacerations all over. Only this time the assault was more severe, causing death. I’ll know more at autopsy.”

 

“Time of Death?”

 

“Just an hour ago in fact, unless my thermometer is off.”

 

“Wait, just an hour ago? That’s around lunchtime at a Navy base and even if it’s a one for reserves, there’s normal base security.”

 

“I’ll be looking into that, Pride,” Sebastian said, suddenly scooting off.

 

“Lieutenant Paul Martinez, age 38, born La Jolla, California, enlisted in the Navy one year before completing high school, reached rank of Chief Petty Officer Logistic Specialist in his early 30s,” LaSalle read out from the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) device, “wow, selected for commissioning as Warrant Officer shortly after, but somehow got a late commissioned as Supply Corps Officer.”

 

“Sounds like another magical US Navy sailor again,” Brody commented.

 

“Save it. Any relation to the first victim, Wayne Wright? Any relation to our suspected assailant, Pia Bonfilio?”

 

“Doesn’t say here, King; AFIS is just mostly armed forces data.”

 

“Well it’s back to our bases again,” Pride announced and they exited out of n the Frank J. Uddo Armed Forces Reserve Center (Building 492). It was immediately evident that someone was missing. “Hey, where’s Coates?” LaSalle asked.

 

“Officer,” Brody quickly asked a NOPD officer, “did you see a brown-hair, long-haired girl in our vehicle?”

 

“Yeah, she was there when I lasted looked, oh ten minutes ago but my eyes wasn’t always there, ma’am.”

 

“Ok, ok, damnit, let’s spread out,” Pride announced, but his two agents already did so, with Brody covering the area from Avenue F to Chambers Avenue, LaSalle Chambers Avenue to Bloski  Avenue. What a silly bitch, Brody, thought as she searched around the streets and outlets. When I find her I’ll personally restrain her and sent her back home...

Pride found himself wandering around the smaller lane of Bourgeois Street, looking up at the buildings, remembering an old case when suddenly a brick fell down from above, nearly striking him on the head. He stretched his neck up and saw a load of brunette hair. “Coates,” he breathed, searching for a way up.

 

The former JAG HQ Legalman was there, her hair dishevelled, a wad of cloth stuffed in her mouth and her hands tied in front of her with several strips of cloth. “It..was...Pia..” she choked as Pride eased the cloth out of her mouth.

 

**Jefferson Parish Medical Examiner’s room**

**20 minutes later**

“Ow...” Jennifer Coates groaned as Loretta applied antiseptic lotion to her cuts.

 

“These are nasty cuts, but they should fade away in a few days,” she remarked.

 

“Well, we are after a nasty girl, or girl and accomplice,” she replied.

 

“We?! You mean us, the NCIS New Orleans team. Not you. We told you to stay put!!! And look what happened instead!!” Brody scolded her cousin.

 

“Easy now, Meredith,” Loretta cautioned.

 

“You could have been killed!!” Brody’s almost screamed.

 

“Brody, step outside now,” Pride ordered. “Now,” he repeated. Brody glared at her cousin then did so.

 

“Ok, Miss Coates, you want to tell us why you disobeyed orders?”

 

“Well, it was really hot in the car and not much of a difference outside. I was glancing around when I saw someone in dark sunglasses and hair that almost matched Pia’s; the person looked almost exactly the same as the one I saw when I walked back with Agent LaSalle. As I moved slowly towards her, the person took off. I quickly followed, but when she darted into alley way, I was about to follow when suddenly I was tackled from behind by someone else. We started fighting ferociously, but I was soon over-powered. The next thing I know, I bound and gagged on a rooftop.”

 

“Someone else you say?” LaSalle added. “So when know this Bonfilio girl has an accomplice.”

 

“The good thing is, while he was initially wearing a mask, I managed to pull it off part of the way during the fight and had a good look at him.”

 

To Be Continued.

    


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks for all those who reviewed. Do review more!_

_Remember, there’s no Sonja Percy in this story._

 

**Some bar in New Orleans**

**New Orleans**

**1245 local**

 

“What’s up with you and your cousin?” LaSalle asked Brody as they entered the bar.

 

“I just hate her,” Brody replied curtly.

 

“I heard that before; could you elaborate?”

 

“Long story.”

 

“Well, I’ve time to listen.”

 

“What are we doing here anyway? This is just outside Jefferson Parish,” Brody changed the subject.

 

“I’ve got an ol’ contact of mine from my vice days here who has contacts will all the gangs and villains in this state and nearby. Ought to know who this is,” he hell up a sketch of Coates’ assailant.

 

“Hmmph, if her description is accurate.” But LaSalle ignored her criticism as he headed straight for a sideroom. Inside was single guy playing darts on an electronic board that kept score. Just as he aimed one more dart, LaSalle flicked off the switch to the board.

 

“Hey!” the figure cried but then was temporarily blinded as LaSalle increased the brightness of the lights. “Who...well, well, Deputy Sheriff or is it just Mr. Chris LaSalle,” the figure replied. “I heard your some other salutation now.”

 

“Special Agent LaSalle,” Chris announced, flipping open his identification. “Been a while Benzo.”

 

“Been a while indeed LaSalle, so Navy cop eh? Or cop dating a beaut...”

 

Brody opened her mouth to interject but LaSalle answered. “She’s my partner; we’re on business.” He then thrust the picture in front Benzo. “Recognise this guy?”

 

“You come in here, you spoil my game, you nearly blind me and you demand information?”

 

“You’re the kingpin of names, and also a former cop who embezzled funds. So yeah, I’ll ask the questions,” LaSalle countered, taping on the face of the digitally created photo.

 

“Never seen him in my life,” the guy quipped then picked up his dart.

 

“Your face says something else,” LaSalle noticed the facial expressions when suddenly Brody darted off. “What...oh darn,” LaSalle sighed and ran off following Brody. “Stop! NCIS!” Brody called as the individual running tried to kick trash as he ran away. Brody suddenly sprinted and jumped on top of the individual, sending both of them of the ground. “Stop resisting or my boot will enter your butt,” Brody growled. “What took you so long?” She glanced up at LaSalle.

 

**Jefferson Parish Medical Examiner’s Office**

**Just a bit earlier**

 

“Can’t I follow your inside?” Jennifer Coates pleaded one more time.

 

“You’re nice and helpful, but this is NCIS. Wait outside her with MA3 Barnes,” Pride pointed to the Master-at-Arms who was nearby. Coates wanted to argue once more but nodded.

 

“Ok, Loretta, you’ve for me?” Pride asked his the ME.

 

“Well, I have confirmed that Lieutenant Martinez was assaulted the same way, but with stronger blows, causing regrettably death. At least the Corporal could enjoy his last moments in a hospital bed.”

 

“Terribly sad but your message isn’t about that.”

 

“No, well extremely close examination for some debris or dirt tucked between the fingers of his right hand. Sebastian has the samples now.”

 

“And?”

 

“And my instinct tells me there’s more to come.”

 

Nodding, Pride shifted to Sebastian’s lab where he found the lab geek chatting with someone on Skype. “Oh, yeah maybe sometime else,” he said then closed his phone.

 

“Loretta said she passed you some evidence?”

 

“Evi...oh no, more time here, I really have to reschedule my meeting with Melissa,” Sebastian answered.

 

“You’ll get your date, I promise.”

 

“Date, no; it’s more like meeting to exchange goodies. She has a science fiction book that I like and I’ve a home-made cloc...”

 

“Sebastian, the case.”

 

“Right, so yes I received the samples, but machines and science take time. What’s more interesting is this,” he turned an LCD towards Pride. It didn’t take the Senior Special Agent to read off the screen. “So, the Lieutenant was in the same gang, the Poachers, as Wright,” Pride summarised.

 

“Same history, same disastrous result,” Sebastian remarked. “You’ve got a murder, or possibly some one wanting revenge.”

 

**NCIS New Orelans HQ**

**Interrogation Room**

**Some time later**

 

“That’s him,” Jennifer breathed. “That’s the I fought with.”

 

“Well, he certainly does look like a punk,” Patton replied.

 

“I like to throttle him again to find Pia,” Jennifer remarked.

 

“Easy now; you cousin can draw out answers from anyone,” LaSalle added.

 

Inside the dimly lit interrogation room, Brody wasn’t exactly sure. All she had was a picture matching the figure who her cousin claimed had assaulted her and was connected to this Pia Bonfilio character. “You made a wrong choice buddy. You’ve previously been charged for break in, damaging of various vehicles, pick pocketing and now assault is going to be added to your great CV.”

 

“Lady, I ain’t get you. I want my lawyer,” the fuzzy haired man replied, crossing his hands.

 

“He seems to be delayed in the traffic,” Brody replied. “And I’m no Lady.” She threw her badge down on the table.

 

“I’ve seen more realistic badges,” the man scoffed.

 

This is getting nowhere, Brody thought then secretly tapped her phone. “What’s she doing?” Coates asked behind the two-way mirror. Just then, Sebastian tapped on the door and passed Brody a folder. “You might want to explain why you were lurking around these tow individuals?” The photos showed the guy near the crime scenes of USMC Corporal and the logistics officer.

 

“I know Brody’s interrogations are fun to watch but we still have a case to investigate people,” Pride commented and the onlookers split up. “He doesn’t know Bonfilio personally,” Brody announced a couple of minutes later in the main squad room. “He just got a text message with a block number,” she continued, passing on a cell to Patton. “Not exactly much to charge him with, though the NOPD might want to hold him.”

 

“But you just...” Coates began.

 

“Ok, so Patton will work on that number, Sebastian has some evidence to examine. We still need to know more about the Californian gang, what these victims did bak then, and most of all,” He pull out his ringing phone, “why they are wanted by this girl.” Pride answered the call then looked grim. “Another copy cat. Marine Reservist. Pattton work on the text message, let’s go people,” he said, pull his Sig Sauer from the cabinet again.

 

“What about me?” Coates enquired.

 

“You...you stay here with Patton. Fill him in again with the gang information, as much as you know. Don’t go anywhere.”

 

To be Continued.

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

_Thanks for all the reviews; please add more reviews!_

_I have no strong knowledge about security in Marine or US Navy bases. Or NCIS squad tactics. Nor is what is described the same as the surrounding area of the MCSF. I know, but this chapter is written in a hurry._

 

**Near Marine Corps Support Facility (MCSF) New Orleans**

**2000 Opelousas Ave, New Orleans**

 

“What’s the situation?” Pride was talking to the MCSF guardpost via radio. “Say again Sergeant? What...?”

 

“What?” LaSalle repeated, steering to avoid another vehicle.

 

“Step on it, there’s a fire fight happening,” Pride ordered with sharp urgency. Within two minutes, the three agents were there and they all donned Kevlar vests and helmets, as well as drawing out M-4 rifles. Even as they donned their gear, they could hear sharp gun shots and the commotion of voices.

 

“What did we just step into? Wasn’t it just a murdered reservist?” Brody winced as bullets suddenly flew across their heads, several striking their vehicle.

 

“It just blew up into a mini war zone. Grab the fibre optic, easier to spot who’s shooting who while under cover.” Pride referred to the fibre optic cable that they stored away assaults on buildings. Soon enough, they had a picture of the scene on camera: Marine guards just outside the base were firing at a group of individuals hidden behind several vehicles. Just a few feet away from those vehicles lay someone in sneakers, jeans and  USMC shirt.

 

“Shit,” Pride briefed then told them on the count of three to open fire. Just as the many 5.56×45mm rounds hit the adversaries and their vehicles, Brody noticed a distinctive flash. “40mm!!!” She screamed yanking Pride LaSalle down as the grenade from a M203 struck their car. She could hardly mouth the word ‘run’ as she pushed the two of them forward, just before their vehicle blew.

 

“Triple shit,” Pride breathed and asked if they were ok. “We need to get that Marine to safety first. Chris, cover us. Brody, on my mark,” and both of them surged forward, aiming as best as they could. With Brody still firing away, Pride quickly ran through the ABCs of field first aid and then with her help, both of them helped the badly injured Marine all the way back to the guard posts.

 

“Thanks alot sir,” the duty Sergeant breathed and ordered Navy Corpsmen to administer proper first aid. “Who the heck are these guys?”

 

“We suspect some gang leader who wants to revenge,” Pride replied, wiping his forehead.

 

“Gang member? Lance Corporal Gonzalez here is a model marine and student,” he argued.

 

“He did have some fall out when younger Sarge,” a nearby Marine quipped, still scanning the area with his Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG) and firing back.

 

“Well, we’ll learn about it later,” Pride added then grabbed a microphone. “Attention, this NCIS! You know you are committing serious crime and facing superior firepower! Lay down you weapons and...” the only reply he received was more gunfire, this time distinctively from a heave machine gun.

 

“Ok, we’ll do this the hard way. Sergeant, cover us.” Attaching a fresh ammo clip to his assault rifle, he signalled his two agents and they surged forward, targeting to disable the vehicles but to ‘disable the damn people’ if possible. Just as they neared the vehicles, the firing from that end suddenly stopped.

 

“What the...” LaSalle said, surprised.

 

“They’re running away Special Agents,” the Sergeant radioed. “We’ll like to assist, but it may break _Posse Comitatus_ if we chase them.” Pride acknowledged and the three agents move cautiously forward, noting the several buildings nearby. Pride and LaSalle entered the first building, while Brody covered the outside. As she turned a corner, she heard a crying voice near her feet and found a young boy underneath a box. “There, there,” the boy pointed at another nearby building as she helped him out and moved him to safety. Brody moved cautiously towards that building until a female figure with back turned was in sight. “Freeze, NCIS! Hands up!” she yelled but the figure just lifted one arm and a deafening explosion occurred.

 

**NCIS New Orleans Headquarters**

**Nearly an hour later...**

 

“Federal Authorities and the military are still not yet clear on the reason for the explosion that took place near the Marine Corps Support Facility. A brief word by the local NCIS field office stated that it was related to a string of assaults and murders on several Navy and Marine persoonel. They...”

 

Pride switched off the television and walked over to the quite bruised Meredith Brody, who had bandages in several places and held an ice pack to parts of her face. “How’s your hearing?” he announced loudly.

 

 

“Much...better,” Brody coaked as Jennifer Coates entered with a mug.

 

“I made your favourite cocoa,” she announced.

 

Brody just stared at her cousin without any response. “Ok, whatever,” she said, walking away and LaSalle immediately followed just as a buzzing tone was heard. He immediately retreated as Dr. Wade appeared on the LCD screen.

 

“Yeah Loretta?”

 

“You know how I hate ‘boom body pieces destroyed’ cases, Dwayne,” she responded. “But there was just one piece that Sebastian and I could salvage from the debris and as well as our examination of the vehicle. We’re running the DNA now but quite positive the lady who blew herself and the others up is Pia Bonfilio.”

 

“Quite positive?”

 

“I can say more than quite,” Sebastian chimed in. “The fingerprints all over the car matched those that the Detectives from the East Coast gave us.”

 

“Okay, thanks you two,” Pride said.

 

“So, case closed?” LaSalle asked.

 

“Well, once they can definitely say it’s that Bonfilio girl. But looks like it will be a whole long day or days of paperwork.”

 

The paperwork was largely completed and as evening came, LaSalle headed to the kitchen area and found Coates browsing through her phone. “Heya, still here?”

 

“Well, I’ve not really any place else to go. I could head back to Merri’s, but I think she hold the main key.”

 

“Shucks, well wanna grab a drink or something?” Coates thought for a moment then accepted.

 

“You really have to tell me what is it with you and your cousin,” he said, as they walked towards the French quarter.

 

Coates shook her head and he repeated himself. “Ok, ok,” she sighed. “I nearly killed her father, my uncle?”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Yeah. Well, basically, I stole his car when I was much younger. Actually drove it recklessly along the highway. Then he we saw it, I reversed and nearly struck him and pushed him off the cliff. She never forgave me about it.”

 

“Oh,” he responded as her brought her to one of the many bars. “I’m sure  she will.” Coates only shook her head and with her order in hand, he headed off the counter. As Jennifer Coates was looking for a place to sit, she suddenly spied a familiar frame and pushed her way through the crowd, ended up in the corridor to the ladies room. “Hey, sista,” she turned to see a patron. “Ya mind? I got a bladder to empty.”

 

“Sorr...” Before Coates could finish her apology, she felt a prick on the back of her neck and passed out.

 

To Be Continued.     


	9. Chapter 9

_Thanks for the reviews and please add more!_

_I’m not sure if there are shark pens or storehouses in New Orleans, I just made that up._

_This chapter has been edited and it is quite dark._

 

**NCIS New Orleans Headquarters**

**A few minutes later**

 

“What do you mean she’s missing?” Pride exclaimed.

 

“She’s just disappeared. She’s was sitting in the bar as I was buying drinks and then the next minute she’s gone. I checked everywhere, vanished,” LaSalle, said, heaving and sweating after his dash back to the office.

 

“Typical Jennifer; she has done that often since I knew her,” Brody remarked haughtily.

 

“No, I think this is something heavily related to our case,” LaSalle countered.

 

“Chris…” Brody tried to argue back when suddenly the video conference receiver beeped.

 

“Yeah Loretta?” Dwayne answered as Doctor Wade and Sebastian Lund appeared on screen.

 

“Dwayne, we’ve got not-so-good news for you,” she began.

 

“Like, pretty bad news in the forensic…” Sebastian added but the Medical Examiner cut him off.

 

“Bonfiallo was not in any of the remains from the blast earlier. We fast tracked all samples and am 100% sure she’s not amongst the bodies.”

 

“How…?”

 

“Old forensic trick; the leaving on fingerprints. I discovered that they were planted just before they launched the attack, judging by the density on the staining,” Sebastian added. “And the pieces of metal that came from the blast were pieces not from the car; they were planted in the car to look like debris from a bomb explosion.”

 

“The bone fragments that were supposed to be feminine are actually from some other body. Sebastian is tracing it and the other evidence now.” With that the call ended.

 

“It is about the case,” Pride stated with an extremely serious tone. “We…”

 

“I’ve got CCTV footage from the bar,” LaSalle offered. “Maybe…”

 

“Triple PPP will analyse it,” Patton said, wheeling himself in.

 

This is going to be another all nighter, Brody groaned silently.

 

**Unknown Location**

**The same time**

 

Ow, Ow, ow, Jennifer Coates thought as the pain circulated her head. What the hell was...she blinked several times but her vision was still blurred. Instinctively, she tried to raise her hands to rub her eyes but she felt stiff resistance. What the...she tried to speak but then felt an icky adhesive around her lips.

 

“Mmmm...” Coates wailed through the duct tape gag. Suddenly, her vision cleared and a dark figure stood in front of her. “Welcome back to ‘life’, Jenny,” the voice said and a hand reached to remove the mask, revealing a face Jennifer had not seen for  while.

 

“A long time since those days in Washington DC eh?” Pia Bonfilio cackled like a hyena. “A long time since to we’re sleeping with that hot Navy Commander, what’s his name Harm?” She laughed an eerie laugh. “Where is he know? I hope he hasn’t forgotten the fling he had with you.” Coates glared at her with her eyes and gave a muffled reply.

 

“Language, language, Jenny. You aren’t a crook anymore, or so I hear. Somehow you heard some of the old gang was down here. But no, that’s wasn’t why you came down to the Big Easy right?” Pia circled the chair Coates was bound to. “No, you’re smarter than that. You heard I was here before hand right?” She paused and bend down so she was face-to-face with Coates. “Yeah, I always remembered you have some magical brain, accurately predicting stuff before others do. You know after we parted at Union Station I got back to steal and shoplifting, all by myself. But when I heard some of the gang had moved to better military lives, I thought, why should they have all the fun?”

 

So you came down to murder them all, Coates thought

 

“Oh sorry, you wanna speak?” She ripped off the tape aggressively, creating a small cut on Coates’ lips.

 

**NCIS Headquarters**

 

“Talk to me people,” Pride remarked.

 

“So there was this white van at the back of the pub where the toilets and dumpsters are,” Patton began and flashed a grainy video on the LCD display. Tapping on his tablet, he continued, “There you have several figures carrying someone into the van. I can’t adjust the quality of the picture with this sort of film but you can just pick out the long brown hair there,” he pointed. “Gotta be our girl, uh, I mean Jennifer.”

 

“BOLO’s out on the vehicle,” Brody added, still partly wishing that she could be home in her bath. Silly Jenn got herself into some trouble and we have to rescue her. And it was because she went out with LaSalle! Wait, does this mean they are in a deep relationship?

 

“Uh, Brody, when did your cousin actually come down to New Orleans?” LaSalle asked.

 

“Why?” Brody asked, trying to keep a neutral tone.

 

“Because I did some checking and she arrived on the 12th, which is two days before you mentioned she was around. I got a buddy of mine to pull a short video tape,” he emailed the file to Patton and soon they were watching Coates talking on her Cellular. “Not much help.”

 

“She’s calling an operator, asking about Wayne Wright, our first victim,” Brody remarked, then turn to the rest “I can lip-read. So she lied to us about that. No wait, who’s that in the background?”

 

“That looks like our suspect Bonfilio. Patton, she’s receiving a number!”

 

“Tracing it now.”

 

**Unknown Location**

 

“You were always the biggest bitch,” Coates tried to spit on Pia but had quite a parched mouth. “You deserve a good time behind bars. No, after what you did to the others, you deserve the death penalty.”

 

“Aw, you think so? Oh, your mighty NCIS friends,” Pia said ‘N’ like ‘end’. “They’ll pretty sloppy and will never find us.”

 

“Their not sloppy,” countered Coates.

 

“Oh they might or might not, but they won’t stop this,” Pia said, extracting a device with emitted  humming.

 

“What the....” but a fresh tape gag was sealed over her lips. With a large yank, Pia ripped away both sides of Jennifer’s shirt and pressed the electro-shock device against each of her breasts. Jennifer squealed like a pig about to be slaughtered but Pia broken into hysterical laugh, continuing to torture her old comrade. Ten minutes later, Coates was veering on the edge on unconsciousness but Pia showed no signs of mercy.  

 

...” Just then, a masked man ran it and whispered into Pia’s ears.

 

“Well, get out there you buffoon and shoot them!!!” she yelled at him.

 

“Mmay” Coates grunted, tugging at her bonds.

 

“Shut the hell up,” Pia thundered. “Never mind,” she cut the former Navy Legalman lose and cuffed her hands before she had time to react. Extracting a M1911, she yanked Coates up and hissed, “You’ll never see your Fed friends again. Or this life.”

 

**Outside the building**

 

“Ok, Brody, you take the back, Chris, front left side, I’ll enter through...” Rapid gun fire cut of Pride’s orders and the Agents duck before returning fire.

 

“Go, go go!!!” Pride yelled and he pressed his Sig Sauer several times and dashed across the dimly-lit courtyard. Brody managed to hit one thug as she manoeuvred behind the building then struck another with her bare hands. Just as she looked for a way inside, she heard a high-pitched scream. “Jenn!!!” she yelled as she pressed her body weight against a nearby door and entered. “NCIS!” she called and fired shot, hitting another of Pia’s accomplices.

 

LaSalle on the other hand faced even tougher resistance as he crashed through a half opened window and reloaded his P226 in time to fire. It took him the nearly all the ammunition in the new clip before he cleared the next level. Suddenly, he found himself looking down at an open pool and two figures below.

 

“Federal agent, drop your weapon!” LaSalle announced.

 

“You drop yours, before I push your lovely girlfriend here into a pool of sharks. They haven’t eaten for hours and are hungry for human flesh,” Pia called back.

 

“You drop...” he saw Pia press her .45 harder against Coates’ droopy head and reluctantly released his Sig Sauer.

 

“That’s good Mr. NCIS. I saw you with Jenny here. You like her right? Well, you can be at the front row of her funer...” Pia’s taunt was cut off as Coates summoned all her remaining strentgth pressed her boot hard against her nemesis’ foot, knocking her down. Just before Pia could react, Brody sprung out behind her and tackled her. Both girls fought furiously but just before Pia could reach for her weapon, Brody gave her a violent kick, which sent the former gang leader into the shark pool. Pride reached the arena just in time to hear Pia scream defeaning see the pool turn a murky red.

 

“Jenn, Jenn, are you ok?” Brody moved over to her now unconscious cousin. “EMS! I need a medic here right now!!!”

 

To be continued.    


	10. Chapter 10

_I’ve edited the previous chapter; it’s a bit dark but still passable as ‘T’. Read and review if you haven’t!_

_Don’t know New Orleans that well, so I pick and choose landmarks via web search._

_JAG characters mentioned, and no, not Mac. You should know me. If you want to check, watch JAG Season 7 Episodes 23, 24 and JAG Season 8 Episode 1._

 

**Tulane Medical Center**

**Next Day**

**1000 hours**

 

“No Harm, nothing serious done,” Skates said to her cellular speakerphone. “No, nothing to worry about; news crews do sensational stories. Yeah, thanks for calling, especially given the time difference. I’ll be back in the East Coast soon and hope to catch up. Say hi to Skates for me. Bye.”

 

“Was that Commander Rabb?” Pride said coming in.

 

“Captain (Retired) Rabb,” she corrected him. Stretching her sore arm out, she shook his. “Thanks again for rescuing me.”

 

“Oh don’t thank me; thank your cousin, and well Chris. If they didn’t find that video of you earlier, we would never have found you.”

 

“I suppose now I have to come clean about that,” Coates said, nodding as Pride handed her a cup of water. “Yeah, I came down to New Orleans because of my concern for Wright. I have to say I do part time research for this security firm along the Beltway. It was by chance, really by chance, that I saw Pia’s name coming out, especially as one re-surfacing as a not just a old time pickpocket, but targeting old friends. I knew Wayne would be the first on the list and I remembered Merri was stationed down here. But you’ve seen me with Merri; I tried telling her what I was coming for but she kept say ‘no’ and hanging up on me. So I did as much research as I could and saved up money to catch flight down here. I knew Wayne was somewhere in the Marines but couldn’t pinpoint his location so I dialled an operator. But you know the armed forces now, they are privy on privacy matters.”

 

“You could have called NCIS proper,” Pride observed.

 

“I know, I could but after Meredith, Agent Bordy hung up on me and didn’t want to even understand me, I didn’t think of perusing that angle. I guess I was wrong by then.”

 

Pride nodded and replied, “Disputes aren’t easy to settle. Anyway, she wants to have a word with you.” Before Jennifer could protest, Pride departed and Meredith Brody entered.

 

“I...I guess I have to say thank you, Agent Brody,” Jennifer said, stretching out her sore arm again.

 

“Merri, you know me as Merri,” Brody corrected her and sat down. “How are you feeling cous?”

 

Take a little back by Brody’s kind words, Coates replied, “like Luke Skywalker after he was zapped by the Emperor,” Coates joked. “if it wasn’t for you, I would be the Shark’s Dinner.”

 

“Well, I’m no Darth Vader turning good,” Brody followed suit, “I would have done the same for anyone else.”

 

“But...”

 

“But I realised I was wrong from the start about my cousin,” Brody said, patting Jennifer’s arm. “You have changed alot since your rebellious, delinquent days. I read as a Legalman Second Class you helped interrogate an Al-Queda suspect and stop a major attack on US carrier? Then afterwards you defied SOP and helped your injured JAG officer to safety and stayed with him until the end of his surgery.”

 

Jennifer smiled. “The perks of the NCIS database. I didn’t really help thwart that attack; Lieutenant Roberts did with his science fiction knowledge. As for the second part, well, after all the JAG team did to help turn my life around, I felt I owe them something. But I wasn’t the only one who stayed as Lieutenant Robert’s leg was operated on; the two other JAG officers did.”

 

“Well, you certainly have changed,” Brody remarked, “I owe you and apology. Here, you I remember you like this as a kid. I’m sure the nurses won’t mind.” She passed over a hot dog with gurkhins and ketchup.

 

“No mustard, you do remember,” Coates laughed and took a bite. “You know, about Uncle, your Dad...”

 

“He’s still alive, that’s what matters. It an incident in the past,” Brody said then stood up. “Hey Sparrow.”

 

“Hey Eagle,” Jennifer Coates replied, using the nickname they used to give each other. The NCIS Agent gave her cousin a peck on her cheek then departed. “Hey, where’s LaSalle?” she asked her boss, who pointed to outside.

 

“Hey LaSalle,” she called at her partner. “You can see Jenn now.”

 

“Oh I’m flagging a taxi,” LaSalle answered, not turning back. “I rather stay out of you and your cousin, it only brings more up more tension.”

 

“LaSalle, Chris,” she replied, using his first name in ages. “Hear me out. It’s me who was so uptight and arrogant  over Jenn. Look, I know you like her, have her.”

 

“You...” he turned around finally. “You mean it?”

 

“Go for it, LaSalle. But make sure you don’t lose sight of her this time.” Patting Brody, the Alabamian re-entered the hospital and as he eased open the door, he stopped. The voice and laughter was unmistakable. Wait, no damint, that’s him! With a bout of anger swelling up, Chris LaSalle ran back outside and nearly collided into Brody.

 

“I thought I said it was alright...”

 

“Damn that lustful little hacker!” LaSalle exclaimed.

 

“Patton? How did he get in?”

 

“One wonders, looks like he and your cousin are have the time of their lives.”

 

“Aw LaSalle....” Brody returned the pat on his shoulder.

 

“Meredith, you want to get a nice meal in the French Quarter?”

 

The End.

 

_PS: Do you want more Jennifer Coates/Meredith Brody stories?_


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